JC SOFTBALL: LBCC beats East L.A. behind Shadwell's solid effort

LONG BEACH - Once Long Beach City College right-hander Candice Shadwell regained her composure and remembered to trust her teammates, things seemed to fall right into place.

The freshman pitcher worked out of a couple early jams with limited damage in Thursday's South Coast Conference softball game with visiting East L.A., escaping a pair of bases-loaded situations with just two runs allowed in the first three innings. And after the Viking offense found its stroke late in the game, Shadwell became downright nasty. She retired the last nine batters of the game, and faced just one hitter off the minimum in the last four innings of a 6-2 LBCC victory.

"I just had to calm down, take breaths and instead of forcing it, relax and let it happen," said Shadwell, who struck out five and allowed five hits over seven innings. "I know we have a really good offense, and I know our defense can hold (a lead). I have confidence in my team."

Shadwell stranded three runners in the first inning, and an unearned run gave the Vikings (18-10, 13-5 SCC) a 1-0 lead after two. But the Huskies loaded the bases again in the third and scored a pair of runs to take a 2-1 lead. Nicole Guzman delivered an RBI single to tie the game, and Valerie Aguilar's sacrifice fly to right brought in another.

That, however, was all ELAC could muster. Shadwell got out of the third without further damage and retired the Huskies (10-20, 7-11) in order in three of the final four innings.

"(ELAC) hit the ball well (early)," said LBC coach Melissa Angel, "but (Shadwell) stayed calm and did what she had to do. She found her groove and did a great job."

ELAC starter Evangelina Montes held Long Beach hitless until the fourth, but the Vikings finally got to her in the fifth. Shadwell and Eileen Rivera led off with singles, and Jezeree Misaalefua and Reanna Guzman followed with RBI singles later in the inning.

A third run scored on a wild pitch, giving LBCC a 4-2 advantage.

In the sixth, Melissa Yepez added a two-run double off reliever Demi Nguyen for the final margin of victory.

"You feel like you have more leeway (pitching with a lead)," said Shadwell, "instead of having to be perfect."

Guzman finished with a pair of hits, a run and an RBI for Long Beach, and Nos. 7-9 hitters Shadwell, Rivera and Victoria Padilla combined for three hits and four runs. Defensively, right fielder Cierra Peterson made a diving catch while racing toward the foul line in the second.

Long Beach, which sits alone in third place in conference, will play a nonconference double-header Saturday and return to SCC play Tuesday when it travels to ECC Compton.